The Rivalry 05: Game 9 (HS G6)

Again, today's game is blacked out on live MLBtv, but thank goodness for ESPN ... so today it's back to live baseball for me after a day away

TOP 1: Mussina going for the Yankees, probably having the best go of all the Yankees starters as of late -- Damon goes down swinging at a pitch in the dirt, one down -- Renteria battles during a quality, 10-pitch AB, and then lines a single to left -- another full count situation, Ortiz bombs the payoff to right ... JUST FOUL

On the next pitch, Ortiz hits another BOMB, this time a no doubt shot to right in the upper deck -- Red Sox, 2-0

Another full count, Ramirez finally singles through the right side to left -- Surprisingly Nixon goes after the first pitch and flies out to center, two down -- yet another full count, Millar pops out to second to end the rally

Mussina pitched an unbelievable 35 pitches this half inning ... shirt

BOT 1: Wells going for the Red Sox tonight, and he has struggled so far this season -- Jeter hits a laser over the left field wall, a solo shot, the Boston lead is cut to 2-1

Womack pops out to center, one down -- Sheffield hits an almost identical shot to Jeter's, a lined laser over the left field wall, and the game is knotted 2-2

Full count to ARod, he singles through the left side into right -- Runner at first, one down for Posada, he grounds to short into an inning ending 643 double play

TOP 2: Mussina walks Mueller on four pitches -- Shoppach goes down swinging, one down -- Bellhorn waits out ANOTHER full count, and the payoff ... is HIGH? Ball 4 ...Mussina barking at the home plate ump, runners now first and second

Damon grounds to short into a 643 double play to retire the side

BOT 2: Matsui flies to center, one down -- Bernie hits a first pitch line out to center, two down -- Johnson pops out to right to end the inning

TOP 3: Renteria just destroys one, a solo shot to left ... nice catch by a fan out there, Boston back in front 3-2

First pitch to Ortiz, oh THAT'S A BOMB ... that is a solo shot deep to center into the black seats, whoa! ... the score is now 4-2

Still none out, Manny rips a single past ARod into left ... three straight hits -- Nixon hits a bomb that rolls to the wall in center, one run scores, that's four consecutive hits, Red Sox now lead 5-2

Stottlemyre out to talk with Mussina -- Millar grounds to short for only the first out of the half inning -- Mueller flies out to left, two down -- Shoppach hits a broken bat grounder to short to retire the side

The hit parade continues from yesterday for the Bosox, not good news for the Yankees

BOT 3: Sanchez hits a solid liner but right at Bellhorn, one down -- Jeter chops one to the left of the mound, Wells fields, but his throw to first is high and pulls Millar off the bag, Jeter is safe at first ... E1

Runner at first, one down for Womack, he grounds to short into an inning ending 463 double play

TOP 4: Unbelievable ... Mussina leaves the game after 3IN, tough outing today, now pitching Chien Ming Wang for New York

Bellhorn flies out to left, one down -- Damon goes after the first pitch, hits a bloop to center, Bernie charges and ... makes a brilliant sliding catch, two away!

Renteria hits a two out single up the middle -- Ortiz lines a single to center, runners now first and second ... and here we go with the two-out rallies against the Yankees AGAIN

Ramirez hits a sinking liner to center ... Bernie charges, slides ... and NOT THIS TIME, the ball gets by him, one run scores, the other runner to third, the score now is Red Sox, 6-2

Nixon draws a walk and now the bases are loaded -- Stottlemyre out to the mound -- Millar goes down swinging to end the rally

BOT 4: Sheffield goes down swinging, one gone -- ARod pops up near the mound, Millar puts it away, two down -- Posada hits the first pitch, a grounder back at Wells, he puts him away to end the inning

TOP 5: Mueller grounds to first, one down -- Shoppach grounds to third, two away -- Bellhorn grounds to second to retire the side ... a 1-2-3 inning for Wang

BOT 5: Matsui flies to center, one away -- Bernie works a full count, the payoff ... he hits a double to right center -- Runner at second, one down for Russ Johnson, he lines out the first pitch to right, two away -- Sanchez works a full count, and eventually grounds to short to end the inning

TOP 6: Damon chops one over Wang's head, Sanchez charges, ... it's off his glove, infield single -- Renteria hits a comebacker to Wang, he turns and starts a 143 double play, two down -- Ortiz hits a broken bat looper to short to retire the side

BOT 6: Jeter grounds to third, one down -- Womack is down looking, two down -- Sheffield hits a hard grounder to third, Mueller reaches, gloves and throws ... Sheffield is in with an infield single -- Runner at first, two away for ARod, he grounds to third to end the inning

TOP 7: Manny is frozen, down looking, one away -- Nixon grounds the first pitch to second, two down -- Millar grounds to third, ... surprise, surprise ... it's off ARod's glove, E5 -- Stanton warms for the Yankees -- Runner at first, two down for Mueller, he works a full count, the payoff ... he flies to center to retire the side

Seventh Inning Stench, Red Sox lead, 6-2

BOT 7: Olerud in to play first for Red Sox -- Posada lines to second, one away -- Matsui hits one the opposite way, and flies to left, two gone -- Bernie grounds to third to end the inning

TOP 8: Shoppach grounds to first, one down -- Bellhorn grounds the first pitch to second, two down -- Damon hits a flare to right, a two out single ... here they go again ... shirt

Now warming for the Yankees, Stanton and Sturtze -- Renteria grounds to third ... and it goes off ARod's glove AGAIN for the second straight inning ... that should be his 2nd error, they called it a single ... and that smells

Torre out, he will call for Stanton -- runner on first and second, two down for Ortiz, he hits a flare to right center, one run scores, runners at the corners ... and the 2-out troubles grow for the Yankees, the score is now 7-2

Stanton out, and in comes Sturtze to match up R-R versus Manny -- Ramirez grounds the first pitch to third, the force is made at second to end the rally

BOT 8: Wells continues, Timlin warming for Boston -- Russ Johnson hits a looper to second, one gone -- Sanchez flies to right center, two down -- Jeter grounds the first pitch to second to end the inning

TOP 9: Nixon is plunked ... the ump goes out to warn, now Torre is out to question ... probably about yesterday's plunk of Jeter -- Runner at first for Olerud, he goes down swinging, one gone -- Mueller hits a ground ball to second to start a 463 double play to put the Red Sox down in the ninth

BOT 9: Wells now seeking the CG, Foulke joins Timlin in the pen for the Bosox -- Sierra brought in to PH for Womack, he grounds to third, one down -- Sheffield grounds a single up the middle past short into center

Francona will not let Wells continue, bringing in Foulke for work -- runner at first, one down for ARod, he flies to center, two gone -- Posada pops out to left to end the game

FINAL: Red Sox win, 7-2

I suppose the same can be said about the Yankees, but the Red Sox really got it going for the second game in a row offensively ... except for the early inning fireworks, the Yankee bats collectively slumbered again

Great pitching performance by David Wells, he really controlled the game after that shaky first inning ... the Red Sox take the series, 2-1, and break the Yankees string of winning series at 5

The highlight for the Yankees is the great solid pitching that Wang has been bringing to the table, tonight in long relief for Muss ... he is really coming into form much like Robinson Cano at second

Yankees off tomorrow, and will begin a two week road trip starting with a set against the Royals on Tuesday

Season Series
Yankees: 4
Red Sox: 5

27UP 23DOWN ... 2 straight losses